The Guild of Fine Food has published what it states is the UK’s first technical code of practice for artisan charcuterie makers.
This decision reflects a need for clear regulatory guidelines within this emerging food sector, and has been developed as part of a Co-ordinated Primary Authority Partnership between the Guild of Fine Food and Cornwall Council.
This 94-page code has been written by the council’s technical specialists, with input from a number of leading charcuterie producers.
The code is designed to iron out any inconsistencies in the way this sector is enforced, and under the Primary Authority scheme, the code’s guidance should now be recognised as good practice by all local authorities in England and Wales.
John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food, explains: “It is obvious that the UK does not have the same charcuterie culture as much of Europe, but a select band of makers have been banging the drum for some time and we have now seen a British charcuterie explosion
“This is a long-awaited body of work and we hope it gives producers the support and guidance required to stay compliant and maintain the trust of consumers, giving them the confidence to continue producing exceptional charcuterie, knowing it is in line with industry standards.”
The Assured Code of Practice for Artisan Charcuterie Production contains detailed advice on developing a HACCP plan and a comprehensive guide.
The code of practice is free for members of the Guild of Fine Food, who also benefit from primary authority protection. Non-members can buy the code for £75 plus VAT.
The Guild of Fine Food will also publish an assured code of practice for deli retailing later in 2018, detailing how shop owners can remain compliant with regulations around stocking, storing and displaying cheese and charcuterie.
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
